Ambassador Vibeke donating the equipment to GIS
The Government of Denmark has donated cybersecurity equipment to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) to enhance efforts in combating irregular migration through improved detection and investigation of document fraud.
This donation is part of the second phase of the ‘Strengthening Border and Migration Management’ (SMMIG) initiative, aimed at bolstering border and migration management in Ghana.
The donated equipment includes 80 laptops, 5 desktops, 63 software licences (including antivirus, Microsoft Suite, and cybersecurity tools), 10 CCTV cameras, 4 CCTV monitors, 2 digital cameras, a 3-in-1 industrial copier, 2 printers, 6 IP phones, 6 uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), and 6 steel cabinets.
Also donated were 11 desks/workstations, 18 office swivel chairs, 12 visitor chairs, 3 metal safes, 8 air conditioners, a generator set (12.5 kVA), and 2 IT infrastructure setups for LAN/WAN.
During the handing over ceremony, Comptroller General of GIS, Kwame Asuah Takyi, emphasised that the provision of the information technology and cybersecurity equipment is crucial for enhancing border and migration management in Ghana.
He noted that the donation aims at strengthening the service’s capacity to combat irregular migration by improving the detection and investigation of document fraud at the regional level.
“The realisation of this objective led to the establishment of a fraud office under the Ashanti Regional Command in Kumasi, which serves the Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, and Western Northern Regions,” he stated.
The project also aims at enhancing the service’s response to irregular migration by strengthening its legal department’s capacity to investigate, prosecute, and secure conventions related to document fraud and other migration-related cases.
According to the Comptroller- General, the project has facilitated the training of 30 prosecutors and 30 investigators at both basic and advanced levels.
Training, he added, was offered 25 officers in intelligence and subscriptions to digital legal resources.
Additionally, the project assisted GIS in evaluating its strategic plan from 2018 to 2022, developing a new strategic plan for 2023 to 2029, and revising various Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for office assistants, which are currently being finalised.
The initiative has also contributed to enhancing the institutional and professional capacities of the service in cybersecurity, he said.
Ten officers, according to the GIS boss, completed a cybersecurity certification programme and recently visited the Czech Republic to study the operations of other immigration service cybersecurity units.
“The project has procured cybersecurity equipment, furniture, and other necessary items for establishing a dedicated office within the service. Today’s handover includes laptops for selected offices to aid in investigation, prosecution, monitoring, evaluation, and intelligence gathering,” he added.
He expressed gratitude to the Danish government for the financial assistance that has made these achievements possible, as well as to the International Centre for Migration Policy Development.
Deputy Denmark Ambassador Vibeke Sandholm Pedersen stated that since 2018, the Danish government has been supporting Ghana in managing migration by strengthening border and migration management.
She noted that the SMMIG project has been particularly effective in helping Ghana Immigration Service to combat irregular migration by enhancing the detection and investigation of document fraud at regional levels.
“The provision of essential tools and equipment will ensure the sustainability of the project’s outcomes,” she added.
Deputy Minister of the Interior, Naana Eyiah Quansah, commended both the Danish government and the International Centre for Migration Policy for their ongoing support of Ghana Immigration Service over the years.
By Prince Fiifi Yorke